Wicklow Mountains National Park Guide

Wicklow Mountains National Park is the largest of Ireland's six national parks, covering roughly 20,000 hectares of granite mountain, blanket bog and glacial valley, and it's the only one of the six on the east coast. It sits less than an hour from Dublin city centre, which makes it the most accessible stretch of genuine upland wilderness in the country.

History and status

The park was established in 1991, built up from state-owned land in the Wicklow uplands that had already been in state hands for decades, with plans for a national park announced a few years earlier. It's managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, part of the Department responsible for heritage. Its best-known site by far is Glendalough — see our full Glendalough guide for the monastic ruins, the two lakes and the walking trails there specifically.

Geography and landscape

The park is built on granite, capped in the wetter uplands by blanket bog, and cut through by valleys carved out by glaciers during the last ice age — Glendalough's own valley, with its two lakes, is the textbook example. The highest point in the park, Lugnaquilla, rises to around 925 metres and is also the highest mountain in Leinster, though it's a serious hillwalk rather than a casual outing. Away from the peaks, the park protects some of the largest remaining areas of blanket bog and upland heath in Ireland, along with pockets of old oak woodland in the sheltered valleys, most notably around Glendalough itself.

Wildlife

The park is one of the best places in Ireland to see red deer, along with sika deer (introduced in the 19th century) and a resident population of feral goats. The uplands support birds of prey including peregrine falcons and, in parts of the wider Wicklow uplands, hen harriers — though sightings of the rarer species are never guaranteed and depend on season and location.

Getting oriented: where the "entrances" are

There's no single visitor centre or gate for the park as a whole — it's open, unfenced upland accessed from several points around its edge:

• Glendalough — by far the busiest access point, with the OPW's Glendalough Visitor Centre near the Lower Lake and a separate National Parks and Wildlife Service information point near the Upper Lake car park, staffed seasonally with trail maps and advice.
• The Sally Gap — a high mountain crossroads reached via the Old Military Road, good for short roadside stops and views rather than a base for a long walk, unless you're already planning one.
• Glenmalure and Glencree — quieter valleys further into the range, both used as trailheads for hillwalking routes, including sections of the Wicklow Way.

Walking and hiking

Options range from short, flat lakeside walks to serious mountain days:

• Around Glendalough: the flat Miners' Road / Lake Walk and the more demanding Spinc and Glenealo Valley boardwalk route — both detailed in our Glendalough guide.
• The Wicklow Way passes directly through the park on its route south from Dublin, and its early stages (starting from Marlay Park) can be walked as day trips without committing to the full 130km trail.
• Upland routes toward Lugnaquilla and other peaks, which require hillwalking experience, a map, and an eye on the weather — cloud can close in on these summits with little warning, any time of year.

Getting there and practical notes

• Glendalough, the main access point, is reachable by St Kevin's Bus directly from Dublin city centre (see our Glendalough guide for the timetable link) or by car in about an hour.
• Other parts of the park have little or no public transport, so a car or an organised tour is the realistic option for the Sally Gap, Glenmalure or Glencree.
• Mobile phone signal is patchy across much of the upland interior — tell someone your planned route if you're heading off the short, well-marked paths.
• Weather changes quickly in the mountains regardless of what the coast or Dublin city is doing; check a mountain-specific forecast, not just the general Dublin one, before a longer walk.

Related reading

• Glendalough Guide
• Things to Do in Wicklow
• Best Wicklow Day Trips
• Best Day Trips from Dublin